Headlines

The Ranger

Central Wyoming College basketball player Tina Hosea pointed to where she wanted CWC basketball camper 10-year-old Elisa Weber to play during a scrimmage Tuesday. Photo by Wayne Nicholls

CWC guard on track for comeback after bad knee injury ended season

Jun 6, 2013 - By Bruce Tippets, Sports Editor

Tina Hosea remembers Jan. 30 as her worst nightmare on the basketball court.

The Central Wyoming College freshman women's starting point guard saw her season come to an end when she suffered a torn ligament in her right knee against Northwest College at Rustler Gym.

Hosea was back at Rustler Gym this week helping out during a CWC girls basketball camp.

"I was dribbling down on a fast break on the left side, and I jumped stopped. That really hurt," Hosea said. "I felt my knee buckle back and forth. I knew that shouldn't happen."

Hosea collapsed to the floor.

"There was pain in my knee," Hosea said.

CWC athletic trainer Scott Pope checked Hosea during the game.

"He asked me a few questions, then we went over a few exercises," Hosea said. "You never felt like you tear you knee. I jumped around. It seemed to be fine."

Hosea went back into the game for a minute before realizing the injury was serious. She had started every single game up to that point.

"I went down again, then I gave the ball away," Hosea said. "I could tell the second time that something was wrong."

When the injury happened, she was disappointed in herself for going back in.

"I felt like I was letting the team down," Hosea said.

"I was having thoughts of the future. I just couldn't be with them on the court. I was frustrated."

Hosea didn't have knee surgery until March 27.

"I think that it helped to wait on the surgery," Hosea said.

She was on crutches for almost three weeks and did physical therapy with Pope and therapist Scott Phister.

"Some of the exercises that they had me do were as simple as pulling my knee up to a level where it wasn't as painful pulling it back and forth," Hosea said.

Good steps

The first time Hosea shot a basketball since the injury was last month.

"There wasn't any jumping," Hosea said. "It felt good to be back on the basketball court."

She can now jump and shoot a basketball.

"I just can't jump too much," Hosea said.

Hosea believes she will be in preseason practice for CWC come October.

"I'm stoked to get back on to the court," Hosea said. "I have never been so excited in my life just to run."

Coach reaction

"Tina was very important to us," CWC women's basketball coach Serol Stauffenberg said. "When she went down, we struggled for a bit in terms of having a backup point guard."

Hosea averaged a team-leading 10.2 points per game.

"She will be a key part of what we do next year," Stauffenberg said. "There is just somewhat of an unknown on the ACL on how she recovers. She is well ahead of schedule. We look for here to come back and be in full strength next year."

The guard played 26 minutes a game prior to her injury. She dished out 2.4 assists per game on average.

"She has that personality that comes off just kind of friendly, but she is a pretty fierce competitor," Stauffenberg said. "She doesn't like to lose. That is what you need in a point guard. She doesn't pride herself on scoring. She will do whatever it takes to win. She listens well. She was a big surprise for us."

Stauffenberg said Hosea "flew under the radar" during the signing period.

"She didn't play on the club scene," Stauffenberg said.

Athletic family

Hosea came to CWC from Cottonwood High School in Salt Lake City.

She played basketball, track, volleyball and soccer.

In her freshman and sophomore years of high school, she took the regional title in the 100-meter hurdles.

Hosea made it to state volleyball tournament in her sophomore and junior seasons.

"I felt like CWC was a good environment for me," Hosea said.

Hosea is involved in an athletic family.

Her sister, Kristen, coached hurdles for Tina at Cottonwood.

She has two brothers playing football at Mesa Community College.

She has a younger sister playing basketball and track at Cottonwood.

She has another young brother playing football at the same high school.

"Growing up, we just all participated in sports," Hosea said. "Being surrounding by people influenced by sports its more fun than pressure."